Some with pre-existing conditions will be unable to enroll in new healthcare program

Some with pre-existing conditions will be unable to enroll in new healthcare program

The passage of the healthcare reform law was a beacon of light for some people with pre-existing medical conditions.

Many with pre-existing medical conditions have been shut out of healthcare coverage, unable to receive insurance and appropriate care. Instead, they enrolled in pricey, state-run insurance pools, USA Today reported.

The new law mandates that insurers will be unable to deny a person coverage if they have a pre-existing condition. Starting on July 1, a federal low-cost insurance program will begin accepting those who might have previously been denied insurance coverage in the past, USA Today reports. However, a person must not have had health insurance for the six months prior or they will become ineligible.

This presents a problem for those enrolled in the high-cost state run programs. Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland told USA Today that "the unintended consequence of this important piece of legislation is we're going to effectively penalize the people who have been doing the sacrificing all along." People with pre-existing conditions have often paid twice as much as the standard rate for healthcare under the state-run program, USA Today said.

Insurance agencies had to immediately accept children with pre-existing conditions after the legislation was passed.